Starter Friday: Projectors Smart Outlets And GPS Bikes

I am a big fan of crowd-funding campaigns the main reason being that it is usually a small team of dedicated people who are looking to create something that will change the way we work. Both Kickstarter and Indiegogo have been the birthplace of great companies like the infamous Oculus Rift and the some pretty damn amazing 3D Printers. There is always something great to see on Kickstarter/Indiegogo and being such a fan I decided to start this little segment every Friday called “Starter Friday” catchy right? Basically I will be taking a bunch of campaigns from these sites that I find interesting and put them in here for you guys to check out. So here it is my first Starter Friday list, let me begin.

BEM Wireless Kickstand Projector

This is the first item on my list simply because I think it will be a great new way for me to utilize my Note 2 for media consumption. No longer will people have to crowd around my phone to watch one of my 64 movies, no longer will I have to limit myself to a tiny 5.5 inch screen for internet browsing, no with the BEM Wireless Kickstand I will be able to see my Note 2 screen projected on a giant 96 inch screen whenever I want. The reason, well for one portability, the Kickstand has a built-in A-Frame stand that, paired with a swivel, allows for any flat surface to turn into a giant TV. It also has built-in USB, HDMI, and Audio Auxiliary ports. I like the fact that it has an Auxiliary Out port because that means I can use it with an existing home theater system or just a pair of louder speakers to really give me that cinema experience. So BEM Wireless you get first dibs on this list and if you want to read more check out the Kickstarter link right HERE.

Darkmatter Xbox Laptop and DIY Kit

This is something that appealed to the gamer in me. While watching the video I literally thought that I was dreaming, this is something I have been looking for all my life. Xbox is awesome and I have always loved the Xbox gaming platform so to see Techjango take an Xbox and make it portable gaming machine is amazing. I would happily buy and use the Darkmatter Xbox Laptop every damn day, hell I would take it to a Starbucks just to game right there and get all the reactions from the people around me using their little laptops. You guys should definitely check out the Darkmatter Kickstarter page (link HERE) to get your hands on one of these beauties.

The BikeSpike

I have a bike that I ride everywhere I can from time to time, but the one thing I hate is the lack of security there is in the bike locking world. It is an age-old story, guy/girl locks bike (front tire and all) to a pole in a public place leaves comes back and the bike has been stolen with his cut lock on the ground, he walks home as he probably won’t see his bike ever again. Well if he had the BikeSpike he would have had a second chance at getting his bike back.

The BikeSpike is a secret GPS tracking system that can be installed on your bike, the secret part of the BikeSpike is the fact that it looks like a simple water bottler rack so thieves will be none the wiser. The BikeSpike works together with the app (Android/iOS) that allows you to not only monitor and report your bike stolen it also allows you to set up geo-fencing which can be used to keep your kids within a certain range. It also monitors your distance, speed, courses, and can share those stats with friends. If you have a bike this is definitely an investment I would suggest you make, never know who may be eyeing your bike while you’re locking it up, so check out the website (link HERE) and secure your bike against the unknowns in the world.

Valta

Power saving ads run rampant during the summer, with everyone wanting to turn on an A/C to cool off it is no wonder commercials are full of them. Energy bills go up during the summer and that’s when people start disconnecting electrical devices from their outlets to try to save a bit of money. Well if you’re like me you know how much of a hassle it is to disconnect things you don’t need, enter Valta. This handy little device allows you to monitor what devices are using power via an app (currently for iPhone only, Android version coming soon) and if said device has been left on but isn’t being used you can turn it off right from your phone. This allows for an easy way to manage your power and with the apps ability to store your power usage history it can create a detailed guide that will show exactly how much energy you use and how you use it.

The app also received a nice update that allows for a geo-fencing option. This allows you to set up a geo-fence that once you cross it triggers an action in this case turning off all power to your electrical devices, then when you get back within the geo-fence zone all power comes back on. This is a pretty nice idea and can be used to actively control your power usage and ultimately save you some money in the long run. Check out the Kickstarter link HERE to learn more.

Benki

Essentially this may make your home into an app controlled home. Benki has created an interesting and remarkable line of products that allow you to truly link your home to your smart phone. There are three products currently available through the Kickstarter and each has a specific function but all work together to create a basic smart phone home. But for now I will talk about just one. The product is called Socket, this is, well a socket, which you plug into your outlet and bam you get a smart outlet.

With the Socket in you’ll be able to monitor your energy consumption but this Socket takes it one step further. You see the Socket has a built-in Microphone, Light Sensor, and Temperature sensor that allow you to do some pretty clever things. As an example baby monitor, no need for those big radios that you stick in your room just plug-in the Socket and you got a baby monitor without the hassle or bulky wall chargers. You can set the socket to send you a notification to your phone when the built-in Microphone picks up a loud noise. There are a ton of different things you can do with the Socket so make sure you check out the Kickstarter link HERE.

Well those are my Kickstarters for the first article and I’m curious to hear what you guys think. Will you be backing any of these Kickstarters on my list if so let me know which ones in the comments below. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you back here next Friday for another Starter Friday.

About The Author

I'm a Content Producer with AndroidSPIN.com and enjoy every second of it. I am proud of the fact that I have never taken a sip of alcohol or any drugs in my 24 years of living on this earth. I am thankful for my supportive family and my great girl, life is pretty good and I look to help anyone I can.